Measurements of the thermal neutron cross-section and resonance integral for the Pd-108(n,gamma)Pd-109 reaction

Abstract

The thermal neutron capture cross-section (sigma(0)) and resonance integral (I-0) of the Pd-108(n,gamma)Pd-109 reaction have been measured relative to that of the monitor reaction Au-197(n,gamma)Au-198. The measurements were carried out using the neutron activation with the cadmium ratio method. Both the samples and monitors were irradiated with and without cadmium cover of 0.5 mm thickness. The induced activities of the reaction products were measured with a well calibrated HPGe gamma-ray detector. In order to improve the accuracy of the results, the necessary corrections for the counting losses were made. The thermal neutron capture cross-section and resonance integral of the Pd-108(n,gamma)Pd-109 reaction were determined to be sigma(0,Pd) = 8.68 +/- 0.41 barn and I-0,I-Pd = 245.6 +/- 24.8 barn, respectively. The obtained results are compared with literature values and discussed.